WILMINGTON, N.C. (Interstat) — The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers used a dominant first quarter and a balanced scoring attack to cruise past the UNC Wilmington Seahawks 80-56 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Trask Coliseum.

Coastal Carolina seized control from the opening tip, establishing an 18-10 lead after the first quarter and never looking back. The Chanticleers extended their advantage by outscoring the Seahawks 20-17 in the second period, taking a 38-27 lead into halftime. The visitors maintained their momentum after the break, adding 20 more points in the third quarter and closing with 22 in the fourth to secure the decisive victory.

Tessa Grady led all scorers for Coastal Carolina, pouring in 23 points in 39 minutes of action. She was instrumental from beyond the arc, hitting several key three-pointers. Paige Bradley nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists. The Chanticleers also received significant contributions from a trio of players who each scored 12 points: D’Yanis Jimenez, Kristin Williams and Tracey Hueston, with Hueston adding five rebounds in just 15 minutes off the bench.

The Chanticleers’ offense was efficient, scoring 80 points on 77 possessions for an offensive rating of 103.9. Their success was fueled by a distinct advantage in three-point shooting, where they connected on 10 of 25 attempts compared to UNC Wilmington’s 4-of-22 performance from deep. Coastal Carolina also won the battle on the glass, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds which led to numerous second-chance opportunities.

UNC Wilmington was led by Rori Cox, who scored 20 points and added seven rebounds and four assists. Kylah Silver was the only other Seahawk in double figures, contributing 12 points and six rebounds. The Seahawks struggled with ball security, committing 16 turnovers which led to extra possessions for the Chanticleers. UNC Wilmington managed just 56 points on 75 possessions, resulting in an offensive rating of 74.6.

Defensively, Coastal Carolina was active, recording six steals and forcing the Seahawks into a difficult shooting night overall, holding them to 20-of-60 from the floor. Torin Rogers provided a bright spot for UNC Wilmington with three blocked shots.

The win improves Coastal Carolina’s season record to 2-2. The Chanticleers will travel to face Virginia Tech on Saturday. The loss drops UNC Wilmington to 1-2 on the season. The Seahawks’ next game is on the road at Gardner-Webb next Wednesday. An announced crowd of 770 was in attendance for the game.